On this page: About the National Data | Methodology | History
About the National Data
Data
Data Sources: National Vital Statistics System - Mortality (NVSS-M), CDC/NCHS; Population Estimates, Census
Baseline: 14.6 deaths per 100,000 population were caused by an overdose involving any opioid in 2018
Target: 13.1 per 100,000
Methodology
Deaths are classified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD–10). Drug overdose deaths are identified using underlying cause-of-death codes X40–X44, X60–X64, X85, and Y10–Y14. The numerator will include drug overdose deaths that have opium (T40.0), heroin (T40.1), natural and semi-synthetic opioids ["other opioids"] (T40.2), methadone (T40.3), synthetic opioids ["other synthetic narcotics"] (T40.4), and other/unspecified narcotics (T40.6) as a contributing cause using the multiple cause of death file.